


"Nathaniel Wesninski" redirects here.

by riccitikkitavi



Series: feel a little closer (the further i go) [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: brief mentions of most stuff that happens in the series, plus someone being outed, the wikipedia au no one even remotely asked for, this exists in the same universe as "progress" but reading that affects zero percent of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 21:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11631972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riccitikkitavi/pseuds/riccitikkitavi
Summary: Neil Abram Josten(bornNathaniel Abram Wesninski; January 19th, 1988) is anAmericanprofessionalexy strikercurrently playing for theChicago Bears(not to be confused with the football team of thesame name) of theNational Exy League(NEL). He is currently a top ranked international player, and also plays for theUS Court.





	"Nathaniel Wesninski" redirects here.

**Author's Note:**

> (none of the hyperlinks work because i'm not _that_ dedicated to creating a proper wikipedia page)

# Neil Josten

* * *

##### From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

__

_“Nathaniel Wesninski” redirects here. For the serial killer known as the Butcher of Baltimore, see[Nathan Wesninski](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)._

**Neil Abram Josten** (born **Nathaniel Abram Wesninski** ; January 19th, 1988) is an [American](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) professional [exy striker](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) currently playing for the [Chicago Bears](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) (not to be confused with the football team of the [same name](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)) of the [National Exy League](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) (NEL). He is currently a top ranked international player, and also plays for the [US Court](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D).  
  


## Early life [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

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Josten was born in [Baltimore, Maryland](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) as Nathaniel Abram Wesninski to parents [Mary Hatford](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) and [Nathan Wesninski](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D).[[1](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] His father, as he later testified, was the leader of a crime syndicate distributing drugs—mostly [heroin](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)—from the eastern sea ports. Josten suffered through years of his father’s abuse before his mother used her connections to a [British](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) crime family to take him on the run with her.[[2](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] His teenage years were spent moving around until he enrolled at a public high school in Millport, Arizona and began playing exy as a striker. There is contention as to whether he played [Little League](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) at all, and if so, what his position was.[[citation needed](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]  
  


## Playing career [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

* * *

**College** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

Josten signed a five year contract with the then infamous [Palmetto State University](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) [Foxes](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) as a striker, alongside [Kevin Day](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) and Seth Gordon. While at PSU, Josten majored in Mathematical Sciences, though he began his studies as a Spanish major.[[3](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]

Several NEL teams scouted Josten over the course of his [NCAA](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) career, including the [New York Boomers](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) and the [Salem Spectres](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), in part due to Day’s outspoken support, and in part due to Josten’s capabilities as both vice captain and captain.[[4](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]  


**Professional** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

After graduating, Josten first signed with the [Las Vegas Golden Knights](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), joining former teammate and backliner [Matt Boyd](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D). He began starting during his first season, though he continued to exhibit the same hostility towards press as he had throughout all five years of his college career.[[3](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]  


**Olympics** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

Josten has played for the US Court his entire professional career. In the [2012 Olympic Games](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), he won a silver medal as a striker sub for [Team USA](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), and is expected to play again in the [2016 Olympic Games](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) in [Rio](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), though it is speculated he will make starting line this time around.[[5](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]  
  


## Personal life [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

* * *

**Injuries** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

During his freshman year at PSU, following an away game against [Binghamton University](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), Josten (still legally Nathaniel Wesninski) was kidnapped by his father, in a situation that ended in Nathan Wesninski’s death and an exchange of information for immunity that resulted in Josten’s legal identity change. Even before this event, Josten showed several injuries[[6](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] believed to be the result of torture rather than typical sports-related injuries and illnesses, to the point that he was benched for several games leading up to the one against Binghamton. While Josten denied that he had sustained any injuries as a result of abuse in a public interview, various teammates had contradictory reactions.[[6](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]

**Rivalries** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

In college, Josten had an ongoing feud with [Edgar Allan Raven](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) striker [Riko Moriyama](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), often serving as a proxy for Moriyama and Day.[[7](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)][[8](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)][[9](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)][[10](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] This rivalry came to a head at the [2006-2007 NCAA Class I Exy Finals](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D), when PSU goalkeeper [Andrew Minyard](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) intervened to prevent Moriyama’s post-game attack on Josten.[[9](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]

In the year following Minyard’s graduation but preceding Josten’s, the latter started antagonizing the former, expressing distaste for Minyard’s characteristic standoffishness and refusal to participate in team publicity events.[[11](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] This enmity mushroomed into full-out social media attacks—with several Fox alumni taking sides.[[11](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)] Minyard’s trade from the [Savannah Scouts](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) to the Bears the season following Josten’s first with the Knights did little to end their open hostility. Josten surprised most of the NEL when in late 2013, he announced via [twitter](%E2%80%9C%E2%80%9D) his [trade](%E2%80%9C%E2%80%9D) to the Bears, but according to teammate testification, little has come of their rivalry beyond occasional shouting matches during practice and a few stray balls aimed for pressure points.[[12](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)][[13](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D)]

**Coming out** [ [edit](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D) ]

Prior to public announcement of his trade from Las Vegas to Chicago, Josten was recorded conversing with teammate [Deirdre Minkowski](%E2%80%9C%E2%80%9D) at an independent event, involuntarily revealing the existence of his indubitably male significant other. He posted a series of tweets later in the year establishing that while he would be trading to the Bears to be closer to his Illinois-based boyfriend, Josten identified predominantly as [demisexual](%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D).

**Author's Note:**

> i see this as taking place ("having been edited" ???) probably around 2015—so in my mental timeline, the minyard-josten rivalry is still goin' strong because everyone's favourite instigators have yet to get fed up with the media narrative. maybe if i ever have a free week or month or year i'll make pages for every single hyperlink in this.


End file.
